R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

As we reflect in church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, the congregation comes together and sings “Silent Night”.  What a peaceful, gentle picture that beloved Christmas carol creates in the mind. But is it an accurate picture? You know there was no peaceful “silence” in the crowded, chaotic Bethlehem the night Christ was born.

It was a village bursting at the seams with visitors and travelers who had come for the great census ordered by the Roman Empire. There was no “calm” in all of Israel-only tension and conflict between the Jewish people and their Roman occupiers. Ancient Israel was hardly a place of “heavenly peace.” It was a land torn apart by oppression, persecution and terror. Madness reigned on that “Silent Night.”

And yet, on that noisy, chaotic and anxious night, Christ our Savior is born. Hidden in a dark stable, the Light of the World is born.  Amid the pain and anguish of the persecuted people, the Messiah comes with new hope and transforming joy. Even though our world today – centuries later is far from “silent” our personal lives are far from “calm” and our futures far from “bright.”

We know from experience with the birth of each new child comes new potential, exciting dreams, and a promise of hope. This year, as we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, let us remember to pray and sing for Peace on Earth to all Goodwill.  Our Savior blesses our imperfect and fractured world by coming into it.  By loving those in it and by laying down His life for many.  For He would rather die than live in eternity without us.  Only He is the Way, The Truth and the Life.

In today’s gospel, Matthew describes “how Jesus was born.”  Like Paul, Matthew traces Jesus’ linage back to the ancestry of King David, to reassure us that Jesus is really the Promised Messiah.  Mathew highlighted the very important and central place of Mary and Joseph. They were God’s means for fulfilling His mission of salvation for us.  Mary and Joseph shows us that God is active in our history and lives, and that He comes to us through human ways.

As we await the coming of the Messiah, each one of us must make ourselves available, Christ like.  We need to be ready to cooperate with God as Mary and Joseph did in order that the promises of God may be fulfilled in us.  We need to allow ourselves to be more holy and wholesome.  God calls us to participate here and now in the wealth of salvation, let us unite with Him as Mary and Joseph did today.

Deacon Antonio Falasca, Jr., Permanent Deacon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica – Saint Anthony Parish

Today, as we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Sacred Gospel account seems to thrust us right into Christmas. It almost misses this Fourth Sunday of Advent; but, not really. Listen once again to the first line of today’s Gospel; “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.” 

But the Gospel account does not mention the nativity of the Lord. It keeps us in Advent by recalling the events that led up to the Nativity of the Lord; and clearly addresses the role of St. Joseph in God’s plan for our Salvation.

We are familiar with the Gospel account when Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary announcing that she has been chosen to bear the Son of the Most High.  Mary’s fiat, her “yes” to God’s will, is the action that solidifies God’s redemptive plan for the world. 

And St. Joseph’s willingness to participate in God’s redemptive plan fulfills the prophetic teaching that the Redeemer will come from the lineage of David. 

I suspect that St. Joseph had many enlightening moments throughout his life. I call those enlightening moments “Twinkling” moments; those “Ah-ha” moments that we all have at one time or another. One of those most profound moments was when the angel came to St. Joseph and told him, “Be not afraid; for this is going to happen according to God’s will.” And that “Twinkling” moment was very integral to God’s plan for our salvation. Another occurred after Jesus’ Birth when the angel appeared to him in a dream and told him, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt.”  

The cooperation of St. Joseph and the cooperation of the Blessed Virgin Mary are moments that ushered in our Salvation.

 

They also affirm the invitation God extends to each of us to cooperate in God’s plan for our individual salvation. And, since we are part of a community of believers, our cooperation often involves actions that affect the cooperation of others in our corporate community. Perhaps we will never know just how our actions or words are being used by God for another’s good.

Did you ever have a “Twinkling Moment”; one of those “Ah-ha” moments in your life? Quite often an experience that lead you to a deeper awareness and perhaps a better understanding of just what our Faith means to us?

 

Our personal moments illumine us in darkness and serve as opportunities for us to affirm actions that cooperate with God’s plan for our individual salvation or the salvation of others. Those moments can emanate from a prayer, a conversation, or even an experience. And those experiences may not always be flowery or warm and fuzzy. Sometimes they occur out of sadness or from an illness; the loss of a loved one; or financial difficulty. Life is not always fair. But, our “yes” to God is a “yes” for our Faith; our fiat that affirms, “Let it be done unto me according to Thy word.” 

In short, we are telling God, “Use me for Your good; use me for my good and for the good of my loved ones and for the salvation of the world. Use me as You would see it fit but let me trust in You that my life is worthy of being used for the honor and glory of God. Isn’t that what St. Joseph did after his “Twinkling Moment”?

I love what the reflection in today’s missalette states; that Joseph “was not only righteous, but merciful”. St. Joseph is emulating the teaching of his yet unborn Son. Jesus taught mercy over law. When given the opportunity to follow Jewish law that demanded a woman who was betrothed yet conceived a child by a man who was not her betrothed husband was to be stoned, St. Joseph chose mercy over condemnation; well before the woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus and with His mercy, Jesus said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

At the end of each day when we examine our conscience, all we need do is ask one question of ourselves; “Have I been righteous today? Have I lived a righteous and virtuous life today? What have I done? In what ways have I fallen short? Have I condemned or did I show mercy?” 

During this final week of Advent I challenge each of us to consider what it means to be righteous. We can ask ourselves, “Does my life today fulfill the expectations and responsibilities of bearing the name of Christian?” What am I doing for the hungry; the oppressed; the sick; the lonely? Do I truly care about the needs of others? Do I desire to cooperate with God’s Divine Will for our Salvation in our homes, places of employment, or in the classroom? How exactly are we preparing for the coming of Christ?

And, like St. Joseph, are we ready to welcome Jesus into our homes? If so, let us pray with St. Joseph; “Father, may the coming celebration of the birth of your Son bring us your saving help and prepare us for eternal life” for as today’s Gospel account says,  truly “God is with us”.

Deacon Mark Izzo, Permanent Deacon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica – Saint Anthony Parish

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
“I will not ask!  I will not tempt the LORD!”
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel.

R. (7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus,
called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,
which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
but established as Son of God in power
according to the Spirit of holiness
through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.